The internet was sent into an uproar yesterday after Verizon CFO Fran Shammo revealed that the carrier would be effectively killing off grandfathered unlimited data plans as subscribers are transitioned to 4G LTE plans. The change will come alongside the introduced of shared data plans for families and businesses this summer. Once the new policy is in effect, you’ll lose grandfathered unlimited data on Verizon when upgrading to LTE or a new device.

In an attempt to calm its disgruntled customers, Verizon has issued another statement today that details more closely how unlimited data will die a slow death.

Customers will not be automatically moved to new shared data plans. If a 3G or 4G smartphone customer is on an unlimited plan now and they do not want to change their plan, they will not have to do so.

When we introduce our new shared data plans, Unlimited Data will no longer be available to customers when purchasing handsets at discounted pricing.

Customers who purchase phones at full retail price and are on an unlimited smartphone data plan will be able to keep that plan.

The same pricing and policies will be applied to all 3G and 4GLTE smartphones.

The main difference between what Verizon said yesterday and today is that grandfathered unlimited plans can be kept if you pay full price for your next phone upgrade. Buying a subsidized phone with a two-year contract will cause you to be kicked off your unlimited plan. The same goes for upgrading to LTE. Verizon notes that you can always keep your current phone and never be kicked off unlimited data. But then you wouldn’t be able to get the new iPhone later this year!

Here’s what Shammo said yesterday:

When asked how Verizon will drive customers to this new data share plan, Shammo said that LTE will be the anchor for the new plan and that as customers upgrade from 3G to LTE, they will have to be on a data share plan, allowing the company to sunset its unlimited 3G data plan. “A lot of our 3G base is on unlimited,” Shammo said. “When they migrate off 3G they will have to go to data share. That is beneficial to us.”

Say I were incredibly rich, could I give Verizon a ton of money to improve and maintain their infrastructure in order to have a larger capacity of users? And if I did this, could they keep unlimited data and not have a problem? Finally, do you think that there will ever be a time when data is cheap and unlimited for everyone (with the business still being profitable)? I mean people always ask that about energy, and we’ve been waiting for a miracle solution for years, but oil lobbyist often push them down.

ApplePr0n

I am a huge Verizon fan, but if this happens, then I will seriously rethink my allegiance to this carrier

About the author

Alex Heath is a journalist and co-host of The CultCast who lives in Lexington, Kentucky . He has been quoted by the likes of the BBC, KRON 4 News, and books like "ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation." If you want to pitch a story, share a tip, or just get in touch, additional contact information is available on his personal site. Twitter always works too.

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